1Thessalonians 4:13-18
The End of the Age of Grace
Two weeks ago, I began a short series of message on future events
\\See 2006Notes on "Matt 24:1"\\. I shared with you that we are living in the
Age of Grace.
1. The chief characteristic of the Age of Grace is salvation and worship by
grace.
2. Our obligation is to be in obedience to the Word of God and under the
direction of the Spirit of God.
But I also pointed out that the Age of Grace will come to an abrupt and sudden
end. This morning, I would like to look more closely at the end of this age,
often referred to in religious circles as the rapture.
If you look up the word "rapture" in a concordance, you will not find it.
It is a descriptive Latin word which means "to snatch away." However, even
though the word may not appear in the Bible, the Bible does tell us much about
this event.
I. The rapture is the return of the Lord to the earth.
A. The Bible tells us that Jesus will make at least three trips
to this earth.
1. The first one was the INCARNATION.
a. This event was prophesied in the Old Testament and the New
Testament begins with Jesus’ incarnation.
b. Through this coming, Jesus provided us with the death, burial,
and resurrection.
2. The second one is our RAPTURE, RESURRECTION, and REUNION. Jesus
will not actually touch the earth or be seen by the lost on this
trip.
3. The third one is Jesus’ CORONATION. Jesus will come to set up His
kingdom as described in Revelation.
Revelation 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and
they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because
of him. Even so, Amen.
B. \\#1Thess 4:13-15\\ Paul’s Intention
1. \\#1Thess 4:13\\ He wants to eliminate ignorance.
a. The Bible DOES teach the rapture.
b. The majority of the church may not have been preaching it;
but the doctrine is straight out of the Bible.
2. \\#1Thess 4:14\\ He wants to eliminate doubt. As surely as we
believe the death, burial, and resurrection, that is how
certain we should be about the rapture.
3. Through this clear teaching, he wants to eliminate error.
C. \\#1Thess 4:16\\ Four things are mentioned with Jesus’ return:
1. There will be a personal and physical return of Jesus’ Christ.
a. This is what Jesus promised:
John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told
you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you
unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
b. This is what the angels promised:
Acts 1:11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into
heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come
in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
2. There will be the shout.
a. Although I have heard some say the archangel does the
shouting, it is probably the Lord who shouts.
b. If so, the Lord, as our King, is probably giving a command
for His people to assemble.
Rev 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and
the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me;
which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
3. There will be the voice of the archangel.
a. We know very little about archangels.
b. There is only one named for certain, Michael \\#Jude 1:9\\.
c. What or even why the archangel’s voice will be present on
that day is not certain.
4. There will be the sound of a triumph.
a. The trumpet in the Old Testament was used to call the people
to assemble \\#Num 10:1-10\\.
b. There is a Jewish feast called the Feast of Trumpets,
celebrated annually in the fall of the year.
(1) This feast marks the beginning of the Jewish civil year.
(2) It begins on the new moon of the month Tishri.
(3) Making the call of the new moon was difficult because
it started when you could see the smallest crescent.
Since clouds could obstruct the view, eyes watched
earnestly and when the crescent was seen, the trumpets
were blown.
(4) The characteristics of this holiday are WATCHING,
WAITING, and LISTENING FOR THE SOUND OF THE TRUMPET.
c. Some believe that:
(1) As Christ was slain on the Jewish Passover.
(2) As the church was begun on the Jewish Pentecost, Feast
of Weeks (first fruits or first harvests).
(3) So the rapture will come during the Feast of Trumpets.
(4) Will run from Sept 19-26, 2009.
D. It is my belief that all of these things will be seen and
heard only by the saved.
II. The rapture is the resurrection of the dead in Christ.
A. When a Christian dies, the body goes to dust but the eternal
consciousness of man - either the soul, the spirit, or both - go to
be with the Lord.
2 Corinthians 5:8 We are confident, [I say], and willing rather to be absent
from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
Luke 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the
angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
1. The question was asked me in the last few weeks, "Do we have
bodies when we get to heaven?"
2. No. Not yet.
3. We do not receive our glorified bodies until the rapture of the
church.
B. Revelation 6:9-11 - We see others who are in heaven without bodies:
Rev 6:9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the
souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which
they held:
10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true,
dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto
them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants
also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be
fulfilled.
1. They can remember.
2. They know what is happening on earth.
3. They seem to fellowship with others.
4. They fellowship with the Lord.
C. \\#1Thess 4:14\\ - When Jesus comes, He will bring those "dead in
Christ" with Him.
1. The Lord will bring the eternal part of our being with Him.
2. The Lord will shout, the archangel will do whatever he is to do,
the trump will sound.
D. \\#1Thess 4:16\ The bodies of those "dead in Christ" will rise first.
1. \\#1Co 15:34-44\\
2. Some seedling from our dead bodies will be brought forth to
produce new glorified bodies.
a. We will be raised differently.
1Cor 15:42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption;
it is raised in incorruption:
43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it
is raised in power:
44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural
body, and there is a spiritual body.
b. We will be raised instantly.
1Cor 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall
all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet
shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be
changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on
immortality.
III. The rapture is the snatching away of the living saved.
A. \\#1Thess 4:17\\ - A half-an-instant later, those still alive will be
instantly changed into the same type of glorious bodies.
B. Can you imagine the shock of those who are lost when we suddenly
disappear?
IV. The rapture will be our union with Christ.
A. \\#1Thess 4:17\\ - After the transformation, we will rise to meet the
Lord who is in the air.
B. From then on forever, we will be together with Him.
V. Some thoughts for you to keep in mind about the rapture:
A. \\#1Thess 4:14\\ The rapture is only for the saved.
B. The rapture is imminent.
Revelation 22:20. He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come
quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
C. The rapture is the only solution to our problems.
Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the
great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
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